The 10 Best Rooftop Bars Around the World
2025-03-30 · 5 min read
A great rooftop bar isn't just about the view — it's about the entire experience. The drink quality, the atmosphere, the crowd, and yes, the panorama all have to align. These ten spots deliver on every front, whether you're celebrating something or just want to drink somewhere that feels special.
Sirocco at Lebua State Tower in Bangkok set the standard for rooftop drinking when it opened 63 floors above the Chao Phraya River. Made famous by The Hangover Part II, it still delivers with its open-air sky bar, jazz quartet, and cocktails that lean classic. The sunset views over Bangkok's skyline remain unbeatable.
CéLaVi in Singapore sits atop the Marina Bay Sands, arguably the most recognizable rooftop in the world. The infinity pool gets all the press, but the bar and club level offers craft cocktails with a direct sightline to the Gardens by the Bay light show. Dress code is enforced, so leave the flip-flops at your hotel.
Bar Rooftop at the Hotel Pulitzer in Barcelona overlooks the Gothic Quarter with views stretching to the Mediterranean. The cocktail menu leans on Spanish ingredients — vermouth-based drinks, gin and tonics with local botanicals — and the vibe is relaxed enough that you could spend an entire evening without feeling pressured to leave.
Westlight in Brooklyn perches atop the William Vale hotel, offering a 360-degree view of the Manhattan skyline from Williamsburg. The cocktail program is serious — expect seasonal menus with Japanese whisky highballs and mezcal-forward creations. Winter brings heated igloos; summer brings one of the best open-air drinking experiences in New York.
Mikla in Istanbul combines a Michelin-recognized restaurant with a rooftop terrace overlooking the Golden Horn and Bosphorus. The kitchen focuses on Anatolian ingredients, and the bar program follows suit with Turkish grape-based spirits and regional botanicals. Watching the sun set over two continents from a single barstool is hard to top.
